AXEL

Twist

Peeling the white surgical gloves back, Axel shoved his hands under the tap. He didn't wait for the water to warm up, the faint tingles surging through his fingertips kept his mind off the pretty blonde he stitched up. His eyes followed the pinkish hue of blood fade into the chipped, off-white sink. The pounding ache in his head was a like hammer dropping down on him, he glanced up in the mirror and caught a glance of Kit's fiery hair behind him.

He wiped his hands on the towel and squirted alcohol gel into his palm, the gel stinging as it came into contact with the cuts. Axel couldn't help but pick at the torn skin around his fingernails. He hadn't even scraped the surface with Kit. Knox voiced it, the words burrowed under Axel's skin like a scratch he couldn't itch.

She was like a speck of dirt under his nail, the one spot that wouldn't budge.

The risk of the unknown plagued Axel. He knew the plan down to the last second, but there was no way Kit would walk straight into Danvers Organisation. The foul-mouthed woman was a loose cannon. Her emotions fueled her actions, like a kid playing with a loaded gun and the outcome would be a bullet buried in Axel's head.

Her green eyes connected with Axel's, he jerked his head down and wrapped his fingers around the sink, the cold porcelain stealing his focus for a moment. The water from the faucet tapped away reminding him of the first few days he spent with Kit in his headquarters.

He could still taste grit lining his lips from his first encounter with the girl who climbed out of her shallow grave. No matter how much he scrubbed his hands, he couldn't get rid of the murky water dripping from the threadbare t-shirt that clung to kit's bruised body. He twisted the metal tap attempting to tighten it but couldn't stop the relentless drip of water.

Even the second hand of the ticking wall clock couldn't distract him Kit's heavy breaths. He preferred cold bodies occupying the room over her.

Axel turned back to the empty metal table, the strong smell of bleach overpowering his troubled thoughts. The substance burnt the inside of his nostrils, the stench of decomposing bodies and Kit's vomit expelled from the room.

Kit had not uttered a single word since Knox had last spoken to her. A quiet Kit worried Axel, he'd rather have her spitting blood and threatening him, but she remained tight-lipped. Her fists balled up, nails digging into her palms as the veins tensed up her arms.

The monster crawling under her skin struggled to stay calm. "You fucking slimy bastard," she spat her words over the table and slammed her fist down. "Henridge better kill you first because that's a show I'd love to see." Kit winced, the metal as cold as the dead body that once laid there.

There was the venom he was waiting for, his heartbeat dully in his chest as he continued to drag the cloth around the tabletop wiping her spit away without looking at her. "Don't exaggerate."

She scoffed, "exaggerate? I'm fucking bait for hell knows what."

Axel threw the cloth in the sink behind him and leant over the table. "It's simple. Des know's we're coming, don't worry about Henridge. If anything goes to shit he'll warn us."

"You're underestimating Henridge," she said through gritted teeth, the words alone burning her lips as if she didn't want to admit it. "Danvers acts as the head of the organisation but in the past few years, the guys snorted enough drugs to shit out the stuff. Henridge may not be as clever as you, but he's something else." She shook her head, her teeth sinking into the dent of her bottom lip.

Axel tugged the chain of her cuff and yanked her forward. He unlocked the metal from her wrist, ignoring her burning gaze on the top of his head.

The vein in Kit's neck twitched, the puckered flesh of burnt skin snaking up her throat rippled like a serpent ready to kill. His eyes darted to her clenched fist, the right hand littered with scars. He caught her wrist in his hand before she could punch him in the jaw, her shoulder crashing into his chest as she lost her balance.

"This must be exhausting for you little bird," he hummed twisting her wrist. "That I always have the upper hand."

The corner of her lips quirked and she sank into his touch, her hot breath hitting his knuckles. "Oh, you think you're the one in control. How sweet." She tilted her head and narrowed her eyes at Axel, "Knox is the Alpha here." Her lips parted, the blood coating her teeth as she smiled and she swiped her tongue along the top row cleaning it from her pearly whites.

He shoved her aside, the tic in his jaw bulging as Kit's words clicked in his mind. Clever bitch. "Big mistake, little bird. You've just revealed you're own move," Axel said slipping his leather gloves on in one swift motion.

Her bottom lip jutted out, "you only catching on now Axe?" Her silky voice sang like a melody. Kit raised her arm again anticipating Axel's defence.

Axel's cold leather-clad hand wrapped around her closed fist,"You lash out to make others believe that they have control."

A smile stretched her cracked lips, "not so slow after all," she sang. "Men love a challenge, you I'm not quite sure." Kit toyed with Axel's red tie, wrapping the delicate silk between her fingers and it fell from her grasp.

He circled Kit, his thumb brushing over the exposed skin of her shoulder blade and the bird tattoo peaking out the torn neckline of her yellow jumper. "A sparrow," he said tugging the knitted garment to reveal the small creature. "Known for their loyalty and love, but also victory and hardship. Tell me, do you return home every year little bird?"

The black inked wings stretching over her sun-kissed skin shifted like the feathers ruffling as if it was taking flight. Knox called her Victory, but it didn't give Axel any clues on who Kit was.

"Loyalty is for dogs and love for fools." The words rolled off her sharp tongue, "you want to get into Danvers Organisation undetected?"

Axel nodded, "That's the plan Red."

Kit traced her finger on the edge of the table. "Well, I'm going to need a stiff drink." She pointed to the blue labelled bottle behind Axel on the shelving unit.

He picked the bottle up and twisted it around in his palm, the blue label glimmering under harsh light. A silver sparrow wrapped around the glass accompanied by Russian.

"Sparrow Vodka," she said taking it from his hands to untwist the cap and take a swig. "Victory in a bottle."